Archives

Thursday 10 September 2009

The triumphalism about the Australian economy has been undercut by a big fall in jobs. The official estimate is that close to 31,000 full-time jobs were lost in August, with only a small offsetting rise in part-time employment. More

The Government says it expects unemployment will continue to rise, but its stimulus measures are lessening the blow. The Opposition believes that previous budget predictions of a jobless peak of 8.5 per cent won't be realised and Australia has seen the worst of the economic downturn. More

In a key speech to Congress the US President Barack Obama has outlined his plans for health care reform. The President said the time for bickering over the issue was over, but our correspondent says his speech did nothing to bring Republicans on board. More

Michael Fullilove from the Lowy Institute, who recently spent a year in Washington, says President Obama's speech showed real strength. Dr Fullilove says the President wasn't partisan, but merely sought to refute some of the more extreme arguments which have been made about his reform plans. More

A British property developer claims that the murdered Sydney businessman Michael McGurk said he would try to blackmail the Sultan of Brunei. There's no suggestion that any member of the royal family is involved in the murder, but Mark Burby has told the ABC he has feared for his life since hearing about it. More

As the next fire season approaches, a new national fire warning system will be in place. It will see a 'code red' warning for days that exceed total fire ban. During the Bushfires Royal Commission hearing today, there was lengthy discussion about policies of inspection and replacement of electricity assets and just who is responsible for identifying, and removing hazardous trees and vegetation. But the outgoing director of Energy Safe Victoria told the Commission there's no penalty if power companies breach their own fire mitigation plans. More

Labor Senators have criticised the Government over its plan to create a new watchdog for the building and construction industry. The Government wants a new body to replace the Australian Building and Construction Commission, set up by the Howard government. Labor Senators on a committee looking at a bill to create the new body say it should evenutally be scrapped altogether and the construction industry should be treated like all others. More

China correspondent Stephen McDonell visits the purpose-built military base where the cream of China's military youth are being put through their paces in preparation for a mass parade to mark 60 years since the Communist victory which led to the founding of the People's Republic of China. The participants have been marching for 12 hours a day for the past three months so that on the big day they can take 128 goosesteps, in 96 metres, with each step exactly 75 centimetres. More

Australian jockeys say their safety is compromised by new whipping rules that have only been in place for the past five weeks. The Australian Racing Board today decided to maintain the rules which restrict the number of times jockeys can whip their horses. But jockeys say they can't concentrate on riding if they're counting strokes of the whip. More

A British sleep expert says couples should seriously consider sleeping in separate beds to ensure they get a good night's rest. Dr Neil Stanley from Surrey University says he himself sleeps in a different bed to his wife, a state of affairs he says is no reflection on the state of a relationship. More